Hanging By A Thread
by forgottenxfairy
Summary: I'm like a ring leader, I call the shots. I'm like a fire cracker, I make it hot. / NaLu Circus AU / Rated M: Smut. / (This is a collaboration between snogfairy and forgottenwhispersxo for the NaLu Love Fest.)
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Hanging By A Thread.  
**Series: **Fairy Tail, AU.  
**Pairing: **NaLu.  
**Raiting: **M - sexually explicit content.

**A/N (Snogfairy): **This is a collab with my lovely forgottenwhispersxo! I wrote Chapter 1 from Lucy's point of view, and she wrote Chapter 2 from Natsu's point of view. They're not the same scene though! Hers will be a continuation from where mine leaves off.

This one is all about _dem muscles_.

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**NaLu Love Fest - Bonus Day Prompt: Breasts/_Muscles_**

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The coppery ticket creased slightly in the young woman's hand as she clutched it tighter, filled to the brink with excitement.

Beside her, a young boy was digging into his popcorn enthusiastically, and the smell filled her nostrils, making her wish she had bought some when she had had the chance.

Lucy Heartfilia was not one to spend her money mindlessly, especially not since she had taken up freelance writing. She needed every penny she earned. However, there was one thing, one tiny luxury, that she would not deny herself.

The circus.

Every year, she would find the time and money to visit this artistic spectacle when it came to her otherwise rather bland town, filling the streets with a hustle and bustle and excitement that only a big tent and the smell of straw and candy could provoke.

It wasn't just any circus, either. It was the Fairy Tail Circus. The one that had captivated her very soul with its imaginative stunts, daring shows and spectacular artists. And of the latter, there was one in particular that had captured her attention.

The Salamander.

Or so they called him. She didn't even know his real name.

From the first time she had laid eyes on him in the busy arena, all muscle and sweat and fire, her heart had given a leap and had not stopped fluttering since.

Now, too, her body and mind became more agitated by the second. The director, a little old man with a fierce yet gentle face, had announced the next act loudly. _His _act.

When the group took the stage. her eyes instinctively sought out his form. The five artists wasted no time and got straight to the performance, doing acrobatics that she couldn't have come up with in her wildest dreams.

In this flash of skin and blue and pink and black, all she could focus on was him. Her eyes found him everytime, without fail.

Everything about him lured her in. The concentrated look she sometimes caught when he turned his handsome face in her direction, the pink (or was it salmon?) colored hair, the tanned skin that stretched over his lean muscles… Oh, those muscles. They made her weak.

She watched intently as he bent his lean legs, and in the next moment he was whirling through the air in one - and two - and three somersaults, the last of which came to a halt when he landed on one of his partner's shoulders. There, he caught another acrobat, the taller of the two blue haired women, who in turn climbed on his shoulders before flic-flacing back onto the ground. A murmur of appreciation drifted through the big tent.

They continued their act, but she barely recognized much of it - her eyes were glued to his body. He had started sweating, and the bright spotlight shining onto him made it seem like he was glowing. The beads of sweat travelled along his body, dripping from his face and onto his chest, where they made their way through the crevices of his marble body. She found herself envying the droplets as they disappeared into the waistband of his pants.

If she could only reach forward and feel his blazing hot skin shiver as she pulled them down his hips, eliciting soft moans with every kiss she'd place on his sweaty skin. How would his voice sound as he called her name? _Sheesh, Lucy!_ The blonde blushed furiously as she caught herself so deep in naughty thought.

The second female performer was rolling herself off the front of that other tall guy's shoulders, the one with the long black hair tamed in a ponytail, and along his chest - really, their difference in size was so big it was almost ridiculous - as he held her legs in place, grabbing her securely until she reached the ground and he pulled her back to her feet in one swift motion.

She turned away from him and fixed her eyes on the Salamander, approaching him with an elegant sway of her hips.

The short, almost tiny woman came to a halt before him gracefully.

Strong, calloused hands moved to her hips. He hoisted her up into the air, where she bent and twisted until her head came to a rest on top of his, blue locks mixing with his salmon curls, their hands pressing together as she steadied herself.

Oh how she wanted to be that lucky woman. How she wanted his fingers digging into her hips, and the feel of his hair as she tangled her hands in it. He would spin her through the air before catching her in his strong arms as if she were a feather, and then…

Not for the first time in her life, Lucy was thankful for having been born a woman - no one could see her arousal. But she felt it. She felt it with every intake of her breath, with every little movement of her legs, with every heartbeat that spiked her pulse.

How was it possible that a man she had never even had the pleasure of admiring face to face, let lone talk to, could do those things to her?

Loud claps and cheers brought her back to reality.

They were at the ropes now, all five of them climbing them effortlessly. They made it look so easy, as if they were taking an afternoon stroll. She watched the flexing and stretching of his biceps as he pulled himself upwards, how the muscles in his belly rippled as he clenched and unclenched them, his whole body working to get him higher and higher. His pink hair was glowing in the limelight. Sweat was dripping down his chin.

Lucy swallowed hard.

Faintly, she observed the others, but they were just a shadow in the perception of her one-tracked mind. The small woman who had been balancing on his head not long ago was now again performing with the tall, almost intimidating man whose piercings reflected the bright light shining onto him. The other man with equally dark hair was holding the slender woman clad in a blue suit, her movements flowing as she hung onto his legs. But the only one she had eyes for was alone.

He was holding on to a single rope, and it looked like he was only hanging by a thread, so thin it could snap at any moment. Though his muscles were tense as he held himself up in the air, there was relaxation oozing off of him, as if he was not meters above the ground, unsecured and with everyone's eyes on him.

And then he let go.

Conscious thought slipped from her like his hand from the rope, and her heart stopped. But he didn't need hands. He caught himself halfway down by slinging the dangling rope around the calf of his right leg, tensing every muscle in his body as his fall came to an abrupt halt.

It was all part of his routine, yet it affected her every time, sending shivers down her spine and making her breath come out flat.

Mesmerized, she watched as he lifted his upper body. How was this even possible? His whole body was glistening in sweat, yet he managed to make the movement seem like nothing. He was all muscle. Every last bit of him was hard steel, smooth skin and _fire_. The way the light lit him up, it looked like flames were burning on his skin.

She could have watched him forever.

Lucy only resumed breathing when his feet had safely touched the ground again. His chest rose and fell erratically, his rosy hair sticking to his forehead. She wanted to brush it away with her fingertips.

Applause filled the arena, but she could only stare, her body suddenly refusing to obey her faltering mind. Her skin felt hot.

Beside her, the empty bag of popcorn fell to the ground as the young boy jumped up, pulling at his mother's sleave and excitedly roaring his admiration.

The man with the peculiar haircolour must have noticed, because his eyes fixed themselves on the child. He grinned.

Lucy's heart stopped.

She had never seen such a grin, so bright and true and proud, stretching from one ear to the other. It was addicting, contagious, and it made her insides melt. Her lips trembled as she exhaled.

And then he looked at her.

It was fleeting, a miniscule moment in time, but his eyes had graced her flushed face, locking with hers. Before she could even react, he had averted his gaze again, strolling confidently to a barrel at the outer ring of his stage.

Oh, this was her favourite part.

The two couples were continuing their performance above the audience's head, swinging and swirling, and a magical silence overcame the whole tent as the Salamander grabbed one of the long sticks peeking out from the barrel.

Her heart was still hammering in her chest when he lit the torch. His gaze had been so _intense_, like everything he seemed to do was. Whether it was a look he gave to everyone or if it had been reserved especially for her, she did not know. She didn't even allow herself to hope such a thing. Without a doubt, he enjoyed the attention of many women, and surely he would not deny them? He was an incredibly attractive man after all. Somehow, the thought didn't sit right with her. She didn't want him to be for all women.

He was _hers_. Her own little secret, her private performer, the thing she looked forward to the most when she laid eyes on a flyer or poster announcing the renewed arrival of the circus.

It was almost funny, that sudden feeling of jealousy. She had to reprimand herself, shaking her head firmly. _Lucy, you never even talked to him. He probably didn't even see you. He doesn't know you exist. It was a coincidence._ _Get a grip_.

After taking a deep breath, she finally allowed her eyes to return to him, standing there in the middle of the arena, flaming torch in his steady grip as he held it above his head.

Then he turned it around in his hand, letting its unlit end point at the ceiling while he lowered the fire, closer and closer to his mouth. A gasp went through the crowd in unison when his lips engulfed the angry flames.

Lucy held her breath with him, her eyes gliding along his jawline and his throat, where she imagined the fire must be burning. His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and his chest rose. Unable to deny herself the pleasure of letting her eyes skim over his bare upper body, she let them travel lower, following a drop of sweat that made its way past his bellybutton. And along the v-shaped muscles that led into his pants. His stupid, exorbitantly loose pants that fit him so perfectly as they hung from his hips. Again, she felt the burning desire to rip them off and take him right there in the dust of the arena.

But then, he pulled the extinguished torch back out of his mouth, his wet lips releasing the stick and sucking in the refreshing, much-needed air.

His mouth would be soft and rough against hers, scorching her skin as he would kiss his way along her neck and to her collarbone.

Fire was dancing around him yet again. He was holding two burning torches now, and Lucy stared, like a moth drawn to the flame. And she would gladly burn.

Just then, as he swirled the torches around himself and brought one of them to his mouth, his eyes locked with hers yet again. Was she imagining things? Her heart beat furiously against the restraints of her chest, yet she could not avert her gaze. Neither did he. They looked at each other as his lips parted, and then his face was swallowed by the raging storm of flames that exploded in front of him, like a mighty dragon's roar.

Shivers were skittering down Lucy's spine, and her fingers gripped the edges of her seat as she leaned forward unconsciously.

When the flames cleared, the first thing she saw again was that grin. That dazzling, irresistible, joyful grin. And this time, it was directed at her. Her eyes widened as ardour gripped her, and finally she started clapping loudly, beaming at the young man.

The rest of his group had made their way back to the ground safely, and now they all bowed, accompanied by the loud cheers of the crowd. His head dove low, and for a second she found herself admiring his strong neck, and the fine pink fluff that travelled upwards its nape until it turned into the messy mane that was his hair.

When he came back up, his eyes found hers again immediately. This could be no accident. He was shamelessly _staring_ at her now, the hunger in his eyes reminding him of her own.

And then he lifted his arm, extending it until his index finger was pointing directly at - something behind her?

She turned her head in confusion, but found nothing of particular interest. Bewildered, she craned her neck a little more, and was only stopped when she felt a light tug at her elbow.

She blinked at the little boy sheepishly. He seemed shy, not daring to speak, but his tiny finger was pointing directly at her, and then he pointed his head back at the arena.

…oh.

Her? The Salamander was pointing at _her_.

When she found his eyes again, he was laughing, actually _laughing out loud_ at her oblivion. Her cheeks turned a flaming red, and she squinted her eyes at him.

But then he extended his hand again, offering it to her, and she suddenly knew that not a single thing in this world could have kept her on her little chair.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N (forgottenwhispersxo):** This is part two of my collab with snogfairy using the prompt breasts/muscles. Part one focused on "Muscles" and was written in Lucy's POV. This is a continuation of Philine's beautiful story, focusing on 'breasts' via Natsu's glorious perspective. There will be lots of a feels and sexy time, hahaha.

_;When he opened his eyes, she was looking right at him. The blonde girl from before, with the brown eyes that smouldered with white hot need and melted like pools of chocolate._

* * *

**NaLu Love Fest - Bonus Day Prompt: _Breasts_/Muscles**

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_Fire Dragon's Roar!_

Just like his Father before him, Natsu had learned the art of the 'Dragon'; had learned to control fire for the amusement and entertainment of others. Some perceived this art as magic, others closed their minds to such a thing, knowing it only as a craft. A trick. But Natsu had never felt closer to his old man than he did during this part of his act, he had to make him proud every time. No mistakes.

Smacking a hand to his chest, he released the fire in his belly, squeezing his eyes closed as the flames exploded from his lips. The hot colours burned together against his eyelids, warm shades of red and orange flashing before fading away completely. When he opened his eyes, she was looking right at him. The blonde girl from before, with the brown eyes that smouldered with white hot need and melted like pools of chocolate. When she started applauding, Natsu became suddenly aware of the grin on his face.

He tore his gaze away from hers just long enough to bow with the others, a spectral of dots littering the ground; the flames from his performance still dancing behind his eyes. Being a performer was exhilarating, but the way she looked at him was something else. His eyes moved back to hers the moment he stood up straight. He ached for her, ached for her in a way he'd never ached for anybody else. It was an unexplainable sensation, truly. But Natsu knew better than to question the power of emotion. Sweat gathered on his chin, falling in thin droplets with each heartbeat. The way she leaned over exposed the voluptuous figure he'd memorised from her past visits and he could see, beneath the circus lighting, that her cleavage was aglow with sweat.

With a deep breath he stretched his hand out towards her. He didn't know if she'd come again, and he'd wasted so many opportunities in the past. He had to act now. Her florid countenance held a bewildered expression and she craned her neck to check the seat behind her. But no one else could ever capture his attention like she did. She was a stream of sunlight on a stormy day, much desired and beautiful and warm. Everything else paled around her. And then it dawned on her. the way her expression changed urged a laugh from deep within his throat, the sound echoing through the tent. He stretched his arm a little more, offering his hand to her. Had he known her name, he would've called to her. Realisation flickered in her eyes like the flames he'd grown accustomed to and just like that she was rising from her seat.

When she'd stepped close enough, Natsu crouched to hoist her up onto the stage, both hands resting beneath her arms. He was amazed at the soft texture of her skin, and more-so at how light she was, in spite of her curvaceous figure. When he'd set her down, Natsu fixed his eyes on hers, growing conscious of the audience still gazing at them.

"Salamander…"

Hearing that name fall from her lips made him shudder. He dropped his arms to his sides and gave her a smile that showed his teeth.

"Natsu," he informed her, slipping a hand over hers, "My real name."

She took a moment to catch her breath. "Lucy."

He hadn't quite heard what she'd said, all his other senses surrendered to his sight. He couldn't stop looking at her. Couldn't stop his gaze as it wandered across her flushed cheeks, to her glossy lips, down to her cleavage and across every other part of her. She seemed to notice, each time his eyes shifted she would visibly shudder and his mind would reach back to the lewd thoughts he'd locked away there. He wanted her to shudder… beneath his touch, not his gaze.

"Luigi," he mumbled, "Would you like to see what goes on backstage?"

Her eyes lit up for a moment. "Yes! A-and it's Lucy. I really loved your perf—"

He wouldn't give her time to finish, to reconsider. His fingers squeezed hers and they were off. He pulled her across the stage and out of the tent to where an assortment of caravans stood on an expanse of green grass and mounds of dirt. While the scene laid out before them wasn't as spectacular as the grand stage he stood on during performance hours, the caravan he set his eyes on was the most important thing in the world to him.

"I take breaks in that caravan over there," he pointed to the larger of the mobile homes, the door of which was decorated with drawings of dragons. In the centre of the pictures was a thick, wooden plaque that read "Salamander". It had been there long before Natsu took up the position.

He caught her glimpsing at his friends and fellow circus members passing by, all of them too busy to take notice of Natsu and his guest for the time being. When her eyes settled on the caravan she pressed three fingers to her lips and stared in complete awe at the drawings. Some of them were from Natsu's childhood.

"Can I… see inside it?"

He risked a glance at her face before pulling her closer with a quick nod, rushing by Gray before he could initiate a fight that would take his attention away from Lucy. They'd been rivals since they joined the circus. He let her climb the small steps and followed after her, closing the door as they stepped inside. There was a thin, yellow couch that ran along the back in a small arch, snug against the rounded wall. A small table stood before it, littered with old flyers of the circus back before his father had…

"Those drawings on the door, did you—"

"Yeah, I drew them for my old man before he passed away."

He watched her struggle for words. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Natsu glanced over to the small kitchen to his right, then back at the table. It was too late to put the flyers back in the cabinet now.

"You come to the circus a lot," Natsu said the first thing that came to mind, anything to break the silence. "See something you like?"

She pulled her hand from his and wandered to the table, fingering at the flyers that covered the glass surface. She took a moment to consider her thoughts before glancing over her shoulder to where he stood. He hadn't expected to see tears in her eyes.

"Your father was Igneel, the former Salamander? Then that would make you—"

"You know my dad?"

"I saw him perform… seven years ago."

Natsu's eyes widened and he was pushed back into the past, back to his dad's final performance. He could remember a figure, a little girl with blonde pigtails clapping from her seat. He'd been so mesmerised by his father he hadn't noticed her looking at him until the act was finished, and then she'd held his tearful gaze for a long time. He'd told her that his father was the Salamander and that he wanted to be a part of the circus too. She'd given him the brightest smile he'd ever seen and told him to do his best. They'd shared a moment of silence, until he'd told her he'd definitely achieve his goal. And that he was all fired up.

"That little girl back then was _you, _Lucy?"

She took a step towards him. "You were my first _and _second love?!"

She clapped both hands over her mouth, embarrassment painting her features red. He stifled a laugh against his arm, tears filling the corners of his eyes. His father died that year, but the smile of that little girl had kept Natsu going on his darkest days. Without a second thought he closed the distance between them and pushed his lips to hers. Their attraction was mutual, their feelings were mutual. And they'd been mutual for seven long years.

Her hands fell against him, the tips of her fingers light against the muscles of his abdomen. The caress of his lips was gentle, until finally he drew back to look at her. To make the moment a reality.

"Natsu…" she whispered, sliding her arms around his neck to indulge in their feelings a second time. This time their lips crashed together in a burst of passion that blinded him. His hands roamed across her back, her chest firm against his. He tried not to think about her womanly assets as they pushed against him, but the sound of his heartbeat throbbing in his ears all but gave away his thoughts.

"Lucy," his hands settled on her hips, "I've always wanted to do this."

She mumbled what sounded like a 'me too' before his tongue pushed forward, desiring access to her mouth. She happily obliged, a quiet moan humming against his lips when his tongue trespassed into unknown territory and met with hers for the first time.

The kiss lasted for a lifetime and he drew back only to take a deep breath. He didn't need a mirror to know that the look on his face was nothing short of lascivious. He wanted her, he ached for her. The need burned inside him like a roaring fire. He needed her.

"I love you," she said in a breathless whisper. "I loved you all this time."

He grabbed her shoulders and walked her back to the couch before taking a seat and pulling her on top of him. She leaned in to kiss him once more, his hands sliding up the back of her shirt to memorised the warmth of her skin. Lucy arched forward beneath his touch, her chest moulding with his once again. He snatched at her skin, need pulsing through his fingertips. And then he broke their kiss to trail his lips across her jaw, pressing light kisses against her neck. She trembled against him, tilting her head back to accommodate the movement of his lips against her. Every now and then he'd take her skin between his teeth and trail his tongue along the mark he'd left behind. He did this several times until he reached her collar bone and wandered down the valley of her breasts, where he lavished in the thump of her heart against his mouth.

"For my next act, I'll make these clothes disappear," he quipped, pushing her shirt up with the hands still roaming her back, "May I?"

She raised her arms so that he might remove her shirt and his attention dropped right back to her breasts. The hands on her back shifted to the clasp of her bra, which was unhooked a second later to reveal the assets hidden beneath it. He took a quick glance, absorbing their perfection before pressing the tip of his tongue to her left nipple. Lucy's groans made the lust boiling through him explode. He kissed at her breasts, revelling in the fact that, each time his tongue lashed out at her nipple, she'd squeeze her thighs against his legs.

And then she turned the tables on him. With one fatal shove she had him pinned against the back of the small couch, their eyes locked in a fierce battle of wits. And then she slipped off him and crouched at his feet, settling between his legs.

"It's my turn to perform for you," she stated, keeping her eyes on his while she fumbled with the tongue of his belt. Freeing it from his pants, he then raised his hips to allow enough room for her to pull them down to sit at his ankles, along with his boxers. He paid no mind to the embarrassment threatening to paint his cheeks, instead keeping his eyes on hers until the back of her head took over his vision. Before he could process what had happened she'd wrapped her lips around his length and wasted no time getting acquainted with the most intimate part of him. His hands shifted into her blonde hair and he arched his back against the couch, her name falling from his lips in delight. Waves of pleasure rolled through him, making his body hot and sweat trickle down his temples. She kept at it for some time, so long in fact he'd almost given in once or twice along the way. But he'd not let that happen, he had something else in mind. Something else he wanted to do. He could feel himself throbbing inside her mouth.

"Luce, I can't take it any more," he confessed, relieved when she glanced up to look at him. He seized this opportunity to kick off his pants and shed his vest, keeping the scarf his father had given to him around his neck. She then followed suit and dropped her skirt, but stopped at her panties. Natsu gave a laugh and stood to spin her around and sit her on the couch in his place. He then placed himself between her thighs and pushed his hand into her panties, a finger snaking into the darkness between her legs. Her walls tensed around his finger and he pushed deeper, welcoming the warmth that surrounded him. She was soaked, he had no reason to prolong his agony any more.

"Natsu," she cried out, "_Natsu_."

Something inside him snapped. He couldn't wait any longer. Withdrawing his finger, Natsu tore her panties in two and positioned himself between her legs. With a growl laced with hunger, he then crouched to raise her legs over his shoulders. In a matter of seconds he had pushed himself inside her; gently at first, until she accepted all of him.

Until they were one.

Resting his hands on the back of the couch on either side of her, he gauged her expressions until he was certain he could lose himself to the desire making him shudder. He plunged deep inside her with quick motions, their moans mingling together in the small space. He knew nothing else but the pleasure rolling through him, nothing else but the rapid beating of his heart. She rocked beneath him with each thrust, her breasts rising and falling each time. The little girl from back then had become a beautiful woman. His woman.

"I love you, Luce," he cried out, "Thank you!"

He could tell by the way she smiled and her eyes rolled back into her head that his words weren't entirely lost on her, but that she wasn't in any frame of mind to register his words completely. So instead he showed her in other ways; showed her with the gentle touch of his hands, with the warmth of his lips and the love that poured out of him with each sudden motion of his hips.

"Hey, Natsu?" Tears spilled onto her cheeks and he dropped her legs to wrap them around his waist, hooking an arm behind her back to pull her into each thrust. The heels of her feet pressed into the small of his back, hard. She then wrapped both arms around his waist and tangled her fingers within his hair, giving a harsh tug.

"What is it, Luce?"

Another period of silence fell between them, silence parted only by their mutual cries of pleasure and the thud of Lucy's body against the couch. He'd never been happier than in this moment, than when his eyes had locked with hers during his very first performance. He kept his eyes on hers as he waited for her to speak once more, and then the words fell from her lips. Soft words, meaningful words that made his heart leapt into his throat —

"I'm all fired up."


End file.
